Pemberley (Lyme Park, Cheshire)

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Carson: Are these done enough? This plate is cold...which is a pity. Bubble and squeak as a vegetable with lamb? This knife could do with sharpening. It's been a while since she played with her patty pans.

Good grief Mr. Carson! What has happened to the happiest man alive!

As Mrs. Patmore says: Men and sigh!!!!

Mr. Mason: It does me good to see a friendly woman bustling about the kitchen!

Back off Daisy! I smell another senior romance here. And has anyone else noticed that the lovely Cockney footman has more than a passing interest in Daisy? Another romance amongst the pigs. Mmmmm.

Tom: We were evenly matched Sybil and I. She was strong in her beliefs, so was I. We were a marriage of equals. We were very happy.

Lady Mary: I think we see that now, the family I mean. Not at first you're right, but now.

Good for you Tom! Giving Mary advice on affairs of the heart. Someone should point her in the right direction and you are the only one she trusts I think!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

This brilliant map of Downton Abbey filming locations was recently compiled by Wayfair.co.uk. Apparently Wayfair is a US based online furniture retailer (Wayfair.com) who have a UK branch and also ship to Canada. Their websites are gorgeous, much like these locations which the creators of Downton Abbey have used over the past 6 seasons.

I have snooped around the map and have chosen a few of the top locations to highlight for you with drool worthy photos.

Highclere Castle or Downton Abbey itself, seen in every episode of "Hound's Bum Abbey" as the lord of the manor Hugh Bonneville affectionately calls it! Owned by George Herbert, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon and his wife Lady Carnarvon (the former Fiona Aitken) who has written a biography of one of her predecessors Almina, Countess of Carnarvon. If you can't get to Highclere in Berkshire on one of it's open days in July or August, you might be interested in their new Highclere Castle app. Or you might like to peruse the blog of Lady Carnarvon and see what is going on at the real Downton Abbey.

Portal Hall in Burghclere, Hampshire is the adorable schoolhouse where the wedding reception for Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes finally took place. It was also the spot where Mr. Molesley inspired us (the viewers) as well as the students with his motivational take on education. I think this was also the spot where the notorious flower show took place in the first season. You remember, when they were afraid NOT to give first prize to the Dowager Countess Violet?

#3

Greys Court, Henley-on-Thames/ "Downton House" from Season 3 John of Reading

I have to put in a good word for Greys Court near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire as I was there last year and it is lovely! You might remember from Season 3 when Lord Grantham had poorly invested his money (OK, Cora's money) and they were considering downsizing to their much smaller estate Downton House. They even had a picnic on the lawn. But retrenching and making do with only 8 servants was just too much to endure! Horrors!

There actually are some lovely picnic areas with fine views and beautiful gardens. And the tour guides talk fondly of Maggie Smith's visit. I want to go back...

Cogges Manor Farm, or as we know it Yew Tree Farm once the home of the Drewe family and Marigold, now Mr. Mason's farm, it is a great place to visit! Take the kids to visit the farm animals (just like George and Marigold!), have tea and scones or book it as a wedding venue. I would love to go. They have a video on their website of the Downton crew dressing the farm house for filming. What a lot of work! If you would like to visit, it is in Oxfordshire, just west of Oxford.

Inverary Castle was used as Duneagle Castle, the country seat of Lord and Lady Flincher (and cousin Rose of course). Although as you will recall, this Christmas episode did not end well, the location and the highland dancing was a lot of fun. And cousin Susan's exploits were pretty interesting! Good riddance O'Brien! This would be a gorgeous place to visit if you were in the north west of Scotland.

The Beamish Museum in County Durham is somewhere I have long wanted to go. Billed as open air museum, there seems to be more to do than you can pack into a day. Train rides, a sweet shop, authentic fish and chips and even coal mining demonstrations are to be found. Someday I will get there. Have any of my readers been? When we in North America finally see the Christmas finale (Sunday March 6 2016) we will get a glimpse of the main street of Beamish dusted with snow. Perfect!

I think I will leave it there. Have fun exploring the map on your own and perhaps planning your next trip to the UK around some of these interesting places to visit.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Lady Violet: Mary needs more than a handsome smile and a hand on a gear stick.

Lord Grantham: I'm surprised you know what a gear stick is.Lady Violet: I know more than you think.

Lady Violet: What sort of Talbot is he?Lady Shackleton: A Shrewsbury but nowhere near the earldom. Forty strong men would have to drop dead.Lady Violet: Nothing is impossible...

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Lady Shackleton: How can I present myself as an expert when I don't know the facts.Lady Violet: It's never stopped me!

Lady Violet: I haven't been into the kitchens for...oh, at least 20 years.Isobel: Have you got your passport?Tom: It hasn't changed much since your day.Lady Violet: I only know I shall need Ariadne's thread to find my way out!

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Lady Violet: I presume in the future we can look forward to women field marshals. And a woman pope!

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Lord Grantham: Do you really like riding like that, when a side-saddle is so much more graceful?

Lady Mary: And so much more dangerous!

Mrs. Hughes: When I accepted Mr. Carson...I hadn't fully considered all the...aspects of marriage.

Mrs. Patmore: Oh, my Lord! You mean...

Mrs. Hughes: Yes, that is precisely what I mean.

Mrs. Patmore: Perhaps you can keep the lights off.

Mrs. Hughes: The trouble is, I don't believe it's a conversation I can have with him.

Mrs. Patmore: Oh you're not suggesting I try? Oh by 'eck! I've had some commissions in my time!

Liverpool maid: Don't you know me Lady Mary? Cos I know you!

Mrs. Patmore: Do you expect to share your...way of life?

(extreme awkward conversation edited out and now cut to second conversation)

Mr. Carson: Tell her this Mrs. Patmore. That in my eyes she is beautiful. I love her Mrs. Patmore. I am happy and tickled and bursting with pride that she would agree to be my wife. And I want us to live as closely as two people can, for the time that remains to us on earth.

Lady Violet: Is it cold up there on that high moral ground?

Spratt: Her ladyship's humour is always a tonic.

Lady Violet: Sometimes it's good to rule by fear.

Sergant Willis has finally finished the 2 year long investigation!

Mrs. Patmore is eyeing up the dancing policeman! Romance???

And revolutionary Daisy got to keep her job!

Lady Cora: (of Daisy's outburst) I'm sure she regrets it.Mr. Carson: I daresay Guy Fawkes regretted trying to blow up Parliament m'lady but he still had to pay the price.

And so we have champagne in the servant's area and more fab dresses on Lady Mary and Lady Edith. And did Lady Edith say she met Virginia Woolf? Tune in next week when we have more from the lady editor and the lady estate agent. Modern times! And more about the wedding of Carson and Mrs. Hughes.